STABLE staff employed by licenced trainers will get a pay rise on January 1st.

Minimum pay rates for experienced stable staff will rise from €9.75 per hour to €10.75 per hour. Expenses for a day meeting will increase from €40 to €50 and expenses for an evening meeting will increase from €50 to €60. This subsistence payment includes a meal allowance.

Agreement on pay and conditions follows extensive negotiations between the Irish Stable Staff Association and the IRTA over the last number of months. Carol Nolan, Horse Racing Ireland’s Director of People and Industry Education, acted as a mediator throughout the discussions.

Although minimum terms and conditions of employment were established under the existing ‘Agricultural Workers Joint Labour Committee’ it was decided by both organisations that a separate agreement should be reached recognising the uniqueness of employment in the horse racing industry in Ireland.

The new pay and expenses terms that have been agreed are the minimum levels. The agreement does not prevent a trainer from paying more favourable terms and conditions at a local level which many trainers have in place already. However, this agreement prohibits any trainer licenced by the Turf Club in Ireland from paying less favourable terms.

Bernard Caldwell, ISSA chairman, said: “After much negotiation, we have reached an agreement that our members are happy to accept. Pay and conditions needed to improve and this was understood by all parties.

“Our members are often described, and rightly so, as the backbone of the industry, but that needed to be recognised in real terms, which has now happened.”

Carol Nolan of HRI commented: “The goodwill towards stable staff is evident throughout the industry. There is also an awareness that many trainers are still finding it challenging at this time. This helped in bringing the parties together to work hard to reach an agreement that balanced everyone’s needs in an acceptable way.”

The IRTA’s chief executive Michael Grassick said: “Our members represent a broad community in racing and have to work hard to stay in business in what are still challenging times. The stable staff provide a vital service and keep the show on the road, so we are very pleased to have arrived at a workable solution.”

The new deal runs until May 2019.